title: Blood pressure control and management of very elderly patients with hypertension in primary care settings in Spain.
abstract: This study aimed to determine the clinical profile, blood pressure (BP) control rates, therapeutic management and physicians' therapeutic behavior regarding very elderly hypertensive patients. A total of 1540 hypertensive patients 80 years old on antihypertensive therapy and receiving care in primary care settings in Spain were included in this cross-sectional study. The mean patient age was 83.4±3.1 years, 61.9% of patients were women and 49.3% of patients had cardiovascular disease. Of the patients, 27.7% were on monotherapy and 72.3% were on combined therapy (47.4% on two antihypertensive agents and 24.9% on three or more antihypertensive agents). A total of 40.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 38.4-43.3%) of patients achieved BP goals (<140/90 mm Hg; <130/80 in patients with diabetes, chronic renal disease or cardiovascular disease). Patients with uncontrolled BP were more likely to have metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, a history of cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, renal disease and stroke and were more frequently smokers. Physicians modified the antihypertensive regimens for 27.4% (95% CI: 23.9-30.8%) of the patients with uncontrolled BP, and the addition of another antihypertensive agent was the most frequent modification. With regard to the physicians' perception of patients' BP control, the BPs of 44.1% of the patients with uncontrolled BP were considered well controlled by the physicians.
authors.affiliation: Primary care center La Puebla de Montalban, Toledo, Spain.
authors.forename: Gustavo C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Roca
authors.affiliation: Primary care center Ingeniero Joaquin Benlloch, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Llisterri
authors.affiliation: Primary care center Vallobin-La Florida, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Prieto-Diaz
authors.affiliation: Primary care center Silleria, Toledo, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Alonso-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario La Paz (Madrid), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escobar-Cervantes
authors.affiliation: Union de Mutuas, Castellon, Spain.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pallares-Carratala
authors.affiliation: Primary care center Beniganim, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valls-Roca
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal (Madrid), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Vivencio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Autonomous University of Madrid, CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Banegas
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Almirall, S.A, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Diegogonzalez-Segura
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Alsina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents